Photo: Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via AP
Florida Gov.Ron DeSantishas doubled down on the state’s restrictions against abortion services.
On Thursday, DeSantis announced that he signed the Heartbeat Protection Act into law, which will now require a woman to provide proof that the pregnancy was a result of rape, incest or human trafficking in order to receive an abortion up until 15 weeks of gestation.
Documentation can include a restraining order, police report, medical record or other evidence.
This restriction is an exception to the new law, which states that otherwise, abortions will be banned after six weeks unless done to save a pregnant person’s life.
“We are proud to support life and family in the state of Florida,” DeSantis, 44,said in a news release.
“I applaud the Legislature for passing the Heartbeat Protection Act that expands pro-life protections and provides additional resources for young mothers and families,” he added.
The legislation comes exactly one year after the Florida governorsigned a bill prohibiting abortions after 15 weeks. That law is currently being challenged before the Florida State Supreme Court. The new law would only go into effect if the previous 15-week law is upheld.
On Thursday, The White House issued its own rebuttal to the news that the bill had passed in Florida.
“This ban would prevent four million Florida women of reproductive age from accessing abortion care after six weeks — before many women even know they’re pregnant,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierresaid in a statement issuedThursday.
The statement added, “This ban would also impact the nearly 15 million women of reproductive age who live in abortion-banning states throughout the South, many of whom have previously relied on travel to Florida as an option to access care.”
source: people.com
